


cradle me, i'll cradle you

by pentagemini



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Drabble, Fluff, Idol Verse, M/M, Not Beta Read, Self-Indulgent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-23
Updated: 2019-01-23
Packaged: 2019-10-14 19:31:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17514596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pentagemini/pseuds/pentagemini
Summary: Jihoon isn't a cuddler.(Until he finds out he is.).





	cradle me, i'll cradle you

**Author's Note:**

  * For [toezi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/toezi/gifts).



> hi denna <3 i hope u like it
> 
> this is just. a drabble for practicing! not beta read or anything. i am fluff monster  
> title from "toothpaste kisses" by the maccabees

Jihoon isn’t a cuddler. Between being squished and maintaining personal space, Jihoon would always choose the latter. That’s why he has no idea how he keeps ending up in this situation time and time again.

Mingyu moves his arm so Jihoon’s head could rest on his chest more comfortably, pulling Jihoon closer and holding his phone in his hand as they watch some stupid video on youtube. Mingyu’s laughs are more like high-pitched squeaks, and he sighs after each one, barely even paying attention to Jihoon. It’s not that he wants his attention that much, but if he’s forced into rituals as such he might as well get some action or have a talk, not watch a pack of ducks cross a busy street.

When he mentions it, Mingyu gets a bit defensive. “Listen, I didn’t mean it like that—”

“That’s exactly what you meant,” Mingyu scoffs, sitting up-straight without any warning and letting Jihoon’s head fall against the pillow. “If you hate cuddling, just say it.”

“I don’t _hate_ it,” Jihoon begins. Mingyu is staring at him with narrowed eyes. “I just don’t necessarily like it.” Mingyu scoffs again and climbs down the ladder from Jihoon’s bed and climbs up to his on the other side of the room, clicking his tongue. He gets under the covers, turning away from Jihoon.

“Minggu…. Stop,” Jihoon says, resting his cheek against his hand. “Don’t be like that.”

“Don’t wanna,” Mingyu mutters. “If you don’t like cuddling, why didn’t you say anything?”

Jihoon sighs. “I don’t know.”

It’s quiet for a while. Mingyu pulls his blanket closer to his face and holds it tight. “Let’s go to sleep. We have an early start tomorrow.”

Jihoon can’t believe Mingyu is making a scene over something as miniscule as cuddling. “Fine. goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

*

They spend all next day shooting for the comeback, and by the time they return to the dorms Jihoon is worn out. He needs food, shower, sleep. The harder he works the better he feels, but the last couple months have been taking their toll on him mentally. Lack of sleep and early mornings are tough to handle when he’s already spending most of his awake hours either at the studio, at gym or at shoots, constantly working; and as for the rest of his members, they’re all exhausted—Seokmin even fell asleep on set earlier. They put their job first.

He steps out of the shower and goes to his room. The door is open and Mingyu is standing in front his bed, skimming through his closet. They barely talked all day, only exchanged a few words between getting their pictures taken, and even that was about the shoot itself. Jihoon enters the room and closes the door quietly behind him, walking up to Mingyu and placing a hand on his shoulder, peeking at his side.

“What’cha doin’?”

Mingyu turns his head to look at Jihoon, and as montone as it gets, he answers, “Picking out what to wear. I’m having drinks with Myungho tonight,” he says, shifting his gaze back to the racks in front. “You’re wet,” he moves away from Jihoon. “And dripping on me.”

“Sorry,” Jihoon says, walking backwards. He opens his closet door and fishes for some warm and comfy clothes, drying himself with his towel and getting dressed  “How are you?” he asks as he shimmies into black sweatpants and picks up a sock.

“Fine,” Mingyu reaches out for a white shirt, a black blazer and black fitted pants and sets them all down on the floor. “Just tired.”

One word answers aren’t Mingyu’s style. “Are you sure you’re fine?”

At that, Mingyu turns around to look at him. “Can you think of any reason I wouldn’t be?”

“I don’t know. That’s why I’m asking,” but Mingyu doesn’t answer. He turns around again and pulls his shirt over his head, tossing it aside into the laundry basket at the corner of the room. Jihoon swallows. “Minggu,” he says, walking over to him once again and touching his exposed back with the tips of his fingers, dragging them across the defined muscles. Mingyu shivers slightly under his touch, and he moves to face Jihoon again. Jihoon’s fingers shift to his stomach with the movement, but Mingyu backs away before Jihoon can touch him some more.

“I’m fine,” he repeats, picking up his clean shirt and putting it on. “I’m gonna go change in the bathroom.”

Mingyu takes the pants and blazer and scatters out of the room, going to the bathroom and locking the door.

Jihoon thinks it’s safe to say he’s not fine.

*

Without Mingyu, Jihoon is bored. Usually he doesn’t mind being alone at all, but he already ate dinner and wasted an hour staring at his phone, checked out what’s happening in the living room only to find it empty. Seokmin and Jisoo went to bed an hour ago, he can hear Seungcheol and Wonwoo playing games from outside their door. Jihoon’s alone, bored, and it’s only 10pm.

Not having anything better to do, Jihoon eats more rice, spends another hour stationary on the couch, watches TV but gives up after fifteen minutes because it’s not really interesting, plays music but for some reason isn’t able to enjoy it. He even texts Soonyoung and asks if he’s awake. Soonyoung replies with three sleepy emojis and writes that Chan and him just arrived at the dorms after a session at the practice room and are going to bed.

Maybe Jihoon can just go to bed too.

He climbs up and gets under the covers. He _is_ tired. Sleep only makes sense. But he feels restless.

Eventually, Jihoon does fall asleep. At 1am the door to his room opens and Mingyu walks in quietly, taking his clothes off and climbing up to his bed. When he starts snoring Jihoon wakes up, blinking his eyes sleepily and raising his head. Mingyu has his back facing him, and even in the dark, he can see Mingyu’s chest rise and fall with every breath.

There’s a slight pinch in Jihoon’s heart, but he ignores it and goes back to sleep.

*

When Jihoon wakes up again, it’s 7am. He clears his throat, stretching his arms and cracking his back, blinking. His alarm clock is set to ten, he can continue sleeping.

He takes a quick glance at the sleeping boy on the bed across from his. Mingyu is splayed out on the mattress like a starfish, drool on his pillow. Jihoon has an urge.

He climbs down and then up, picking Mingyu’s arm and lays next to him. Mingyu can pretty much sleep through anything, Jihoon wouldn’t do this unless he knew the odds of his boyfriend waking up are little to none. To his surprise, Mingyu shifts in his sleep, turning to lay on his side and facing Jihoon. A yawn escapes him and a single sleepy tear rolls down his cheek. Jihoon reaches out to wipe it with his finger. He’s not fully awake yet, and he mumbles something incoherent, but Jihoon can hear his name in the mix. It’s sudden, the way Mingyu wraps an arm around Jihoon’s waist and pulls him closer in his half-asleep state. His lips ghost at Jihoon’s clavicle, the fleeing contact making the little hairs at the back of Jihoon’s neck stand up. Mingyu is slowly falling asleep again, and Jihoon follows shortly, nuzzling Mingyu as he dozes off to sleep.

Jihoon wakes up a third time at the sound of his alarm clock.

Mingyu does too, and he grumbles. Jihoon lets out a breathy chuckle and moves to climb down to turn it off, but Mingyu doesn’t let him.

“Don’t go,” he says, barely above a whisper. Their noses are touching ever so slightly. Mingyu places a gentle kiss on the side of Jihoon’s mouth, eyes closed.

“It won’t turn off by itself…” Jihoon says against him, his hands holding on to Mingyu’s torso.

Mingyu hums. “Just another minute.”

With that, Mingyu pulls him close like he did when Jihoon joined him earlier this morning.

They let the clock go off for five.

*

Later that day, when Jihoon comes back to the dorm, the first thing he does is go to his room. Mingyu is in bed and scrolling through his phone when he opens the door. Jihoon smiles, dropping his bag on the floor and moving up the ladder to join Mingyu in bed.

“Hi,” he says, dragging the covers over them and resting his head on Mingyu’s chest.

“Hello,” Mingyu greets him, running his fingers through his hair. “What brought this sudden change, by the way? Now, this morning… I thought you didn’t like cuddling.”

Jihoon thinks it’s safe to say he _wasn’t_ a cuddler. He also thinks his boyfriend asks too many questions. “I was wrong, I guess,” he says quietly.

Mingyu backs away and looks at him, eyes wide. “Did you just say you and wrong in the same sentence? Are you still you? Or is my boyfriend possessed?”

“Shut up,” Jihoon mutters. “Can we cuddle now?”

“Only if you agree to watch this video of a raccoon family climbing up a wall with me. With commentary.”

“Mingyu—“

Mingyu laughs, tugging at Jihoon’s shirt and pulling him in for a kiss. It’s short and sweet, which is only half true about Mingyu, but Jihoon loves it nonetheless.

Between being squished and maintaining personal space, Jihoon would choose Mingyu every time.

 

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading! :^) you can find me @vobogod on twitter


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